Ep 5. Hardwired

In Law and Order SVU season 11 episode 5, titled "Hardwired", the detectives of the Special Victims Unit investigate a disturbing case of sexual assault that involves a dangerous new form of cyberbullying. When a teenage girl named Avery is attacked at a party, the SVU team discovers that the attack was filmed and uploaded to a social media platform. As they delve deeper into the case, they realize that Avery was not the only victim of this anonymous cyber predator, and they must race against the clock to identify the suspect before he strikes again.

The episode opens with the party where Avery is assaulted. The SVU team arrives on the scene and brings Avery to the hospital for a rape kit. Detective Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay) speaks with Avery's mother, who is distraught and wants justice for her daughter. As they investigate the crime scene, they discover that there were other underage girls at the party who were drinking and taking drugs. The detectives approach these girls to try to get more information about what happened, but they are reluctant to speak to the police.

Meanwhile, Detective Elliot Stabler (Christopher Meloni) is tasked with investigating the video that was uploaded to social media. The video is extremely graphic and shows Avery being assaulted by a masked man while other partygoers watch and cheer. Stabler coordinates with the site's administrator to try to track down the user who uploaded the video, but they hit a dead end when they discover that the account was created using a proxy server.

As the detectives continue their investigation, they learn that Avery was targeted because she had a large following on social media. The suspect, who calls himself "The Shadow", specifically chose Avery because he knew that the video would go viral. The detectives also discover that "The Shadow" has targeted other underage girls in a similar way and that he has a pattern of using fake social media accounts to gain their trust and then using that trust to manipulate them.

The detectives use a combination of traditional investigative techniques and tech-savvy methods to try to track down "The Shadow". They interview the other victims and trace the IP address of the proxy server. They also take advantage of a new technology called "geofencing", which allows them to track the movements of all the phones that were present at the party. With the help of a tech-savvy college student, the detectives are finally able to identify the suspect, but they soon realize that it may be too late to save his next victim.

As the SVU team closes in on "The Shadow", they discover that he has taken his obsession with cyberbullying to a dangerous new level. He has rigged his apartment with cameras and has set up an elaborate system to hack into the devices of his victims. He is able to control their phones, laptops, and even their home appliances, and he uses this power to terrorize his victims and manipulate them into doing his bidding. The detectives must race against the clock to catch "The Shadow" before he can claim another victim and stop him from causing any more harm.

Overall, Law and Order SVU season 11 episode 5, "Hardwired", is a gripping and thought-provoking episode that explores the dangerous world of cyberbullying. The episode tackles important issues such as consent, privacy, and the power of social media, and it does so with sensitivity and nuance. The cast delivers strong and nuanced performances, and the writing is tight and suspenseful. Fans of the series and those interested in social issues will find much to enjoy and ponder in this episode.